Improvement in gate-latches



- 2Sheets--Sheet1. G. G. SHEPARD &. P. ADAMS, Ir.

Gate-Latches.

Patented Oct. 2051874.

No.l56,043.

I ZSheets- S heetZ. G. G. SHEPARD &. P. ADAMS, .ll.

Gate-Latches. No. 156,043. Patented o@:.2o,1s14.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

CHARLES Gr. SHEPARD AND PETER ADAMS, JR, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO JOHN D. SHEPARD, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATE-LATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,043, dated October 20, 1874; application filed September 5, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, G. G. SHEPARD and PETER ADAMS, J r., of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Gate Latches, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention relates to that class of latches used on gates which swing or open both ways; and it consists of a plate cast in such a manner as to form a case with bearings for a pivoted latch with a latch having journals cast thereon and two curved thumb-pieces or levers, the parts being so constructed that they can. be put together and all secured in place ready for operation by screwing theplate or case upon the surface of the front edge of the gate, as hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is a rear view of the device, with the back plate detached. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the case; Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, views of parts detached and Fig. 7 a side elevation, partly in section, of the device in position as applied to a gate.

In constructing our latch we make a case of two plates, A and B, the front plate, A, having its front central portion projecting, with a slot in its face for the latch O to project through, with a cavity under or inside this projecting part, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Within this cavity, on each side of the front slot, is a spur or stud, e, which projects rearward, and is curved on its upper face, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. It also has, near each edge, a tubular spur, n, which serve as pivots for the thumblevers L, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The latch O is made of the form represented in Fig. 4, and at its inner end it is provided with journals 0, as shown in Fig. 3.

The rear plate, B, is made, as shown in Fig. 5, of such form and size as to fit into a recess made for it in the back side of the front plate A, so that when the two are put together they will form a case, and secure the latch C and the thumb-levers L in place within it, as shown in Fig. 7.

To put the parts together, the latch is first slipped through the slot in the front, with its journals 0 resting on the spurs e. The thumblevers L are then placed on their pivots or studs a, one on each side, their ends being curved so as to reach forward under the latch in front of its pivot-point, and then the back plate B is applied and secured in place by a rivet, l, as shown in Fig. 2.

When thus constructed, it forms a very coinpact and efficient latch, and, as its rear face presents a plane surface, it can be screwed fast to the front edge of a gate without cutting away the wood at all, thus rendering it very simple and easy to apply.

As shown in Fig. 7, in which I represents the front part of a gate, and J of the fence or post, it will be seen that the very short latch enables it to be applied with a keeper, H, by simply screwing them in place.

It is obvious that the back plate may be omitted, but it would not be as perfect.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim is The two-way gate-latch, consisting of the plate A, provided with the bearings e for the pivoted latch, the latch C, with its journals 0, and the curved thumb-levers I, all constructed and combined to operate substantially as sho wn and described.

CHARLES G. SHEPARD. PETER ADAMS, JR. Witnesses:

D. W. BURT, O. E. HoovER. 

